France pledged today to intensify its fight for post-Brexit fisheries rights, as cross-Channel tensions increase.
Clement Beaune, Europe minister – known for being an attack dog against Emmanuel Macron – said that the legal process over French vessels using British waters would begin within the first day of January.
This threat follows months of dispute over approvals by UK authorities and Jersey authorities for boats.
French fishermen assert that they have the right to licenses according to the EU trade agreement. They also protested repeatedly, including blocking ports access on the continent.
Britain says that boats must be allowed to use the waters only if they can prove their usage before Brexit.
Clement Beaune, Europe minister – well-known as an attacker for Emmanuel Macron – warned that legal proceedings over licenses for French vessels to use British waterways will start in the’very first days of January.
French fishermen insist that they are entitled under EU-trade agreement to licensures.
Despite a few extra licenses granted to French ships in the last weeks, the dispute has not abated.
And Mr Beaune told France 2 television today that he expects an EU meeting on January 4 to step up the response.
According to him, litigation will begin at the special tribunal established by the Brexit agreement in “the first days of January”.
It was revealed that the French fleets abandoned their threat to stop Christmas merchandise reaching Britain earlier this week because they were on holiday.
The industry leaders said that many skippers have time off during the holiday period, so they abandoned their plan to punish Britain with a blockade of ports and the Channel Tunnel.
The protest will not take place during Christmas. They are on standby. It will be reviewed again in January,” said Olivier Lepretre (chairman of the northern France fisheries commission).
“Some fishermen wanted to take action on the 23rd, while others wanted to demonstrate on the fourth after the holidays.” This caused a split in the community.